Football, basket ball, and the like



June 14, 1932., R" 1,863,170

FOOTBALL, BASKET BALL, AND THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1929 WFW QTTOFPA/ZfjPatented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES 1 MASON SCUDDER, OF CLAYTON,MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 RAWLINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS,MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI FOOTBALL, BASKET BALL, AND THE LIKEApplication filed March 25, 1929.

This invention relates to footballs, basket balls and the like of thetype in which the bladder or inflatable member in the casing is providedwith a metallic valve stem whose rterminal portion is screwed into a nutarranged on the insideof the casing in concentric relation with a holein the casing that permits a pump to be connected with the valve stem inthe operation of inflating the i' bladder.

It has heretofore been the usual custom in balls of the general typementioned to mount the valve stem nut in a pocket or supporting memberarranged on the inside of Y the casing and attached to the casing by oneor more rows of stitches which pass through the casing at a point inproximity to the hole in the casing'that provides access to the valvestem. As said stitches are exposed on the outer side of the casing theyare subjected to abrasion and wear when the ball is in use, with theresult that said stitches soon break. When this happens the valve stemdrops downwardly into the interior of the casing when the bladderbecomes deflated, thereby making it necessary to unlace the casingsufficiently to grasp the valve stem and arrange the terminal portion ofsaid stem in alignment with the hole in the cas- 'ing through which thepump connection is inserted in the operation of connecting the pump withthe valve stem.

One object of my invention is to provide a basket ball, football or thelike of the general type mentioned, which is of such con struction thatthere is no liability of the valve stem becoming disarranged or droppingdownwardly into the casing when the bladder of the ball becomesdeflated.

Another object is to provide a basket ball, football or the like of thegeneral type mentioned, in which the removable closure for the valvestem is combined with the valve stem nut in such a way that it preventsrela tive rotary movement between said nut and Serial No. 349,872.

valve stem in a direction to cause the valve stem to screw out of saidnut. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will behereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a top plan view of a football, basket ball orthe like constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragn'ientary top plan view of the section ofthe casing in which the valve stem hole is formed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the bridge piece inside of the casingthat carries the pocket for the valve stem nut; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the prefered form of myinvention, A desi nates as an entirety the casing of a football, basketball or the like, B designates the inflatable member or bladder that isarranged inside of the casing, O designates a metallic valve stem onsaid casing that is equipped with a conventional check valve forconfining the air that is pumped into the casing by means of a pumpconnected with the valve stem, D designates a nut arranged on the insideof the casing that is adapted to have the valve stem C screwed into sameso as to hold said valve stem in longitudinal alignment with the hole 1in the casing A that permits the connection on the hose of the pump tobe screwed into the valve stem in the operation, of inflating thebladder and E designates a removable cap or closure for the valve stemthat is provided with an externally screwthreaded portion which isadapted to be screwed into internal threads in the terminal portion ofthe valve stem C. As is usual in balls of this general type, the casingA is made up of a number of sections 2 whose edge portions are turnedinwardly at 2 and joined together by stitches 3, as shown in Figure 3,said inwardly-turned edge portions 2 and TJI stitches 3 being located inthe inside of the casing A of the ball.

The valve stem nut D is sustained or supplied by a pocket formedpreferably by three disk-shaped pieces of leather 4, 5 and 6 arranged sothat the piece 4: laps over the top face of the valve stem nut D, thebottom piece 6 engages the underside of said nut and the intermediatepiece 5 surrounds the peripheral edge of the nut D, said intermediatepiece 5 having a hole in same that conforms to the shape of the valvestem nut which is usual ly of hexagonal or other non-circular form, Whenthese three pieces 4, 5 and 6 are secured together they co-operate witheach other to form a pocket that receives the valve nut D and holds itagainst rotary movement.

Said valve stem nut pocket is sustained or supported by a bridge pieceor supporting member F that is arranged on the inside of the casingtransversely of the section 2 of the casing in which the valve stem hole1 is formed, and which is combined with the casing by a means that isnot subjected to wear or abrasion when the ball is in use. In the formof my invention herein illustrated. the bridge piece F has its oppositeend portions secured to the casing by the concealed stitches 3,previously referred to, that pass through the inwardly-turned edgeportions 2* of the section 2 of the casing in which the valve stem hole1 is formed. Obviously, the bridge piece F might be attached to orcombined with the casing A in various other ways, without departing fromthe spirit of my invens tion, so longas the means that is used for thispurpose is of such a character. or is arranged in such a way that theabrasions to which the casing is subjected when the ball is in servicewill not result in the bridge piece F breaking away or becoming detachedfrom the casing.

The pocket in which the valve stem nut D is mounted is arranged on theunderside of the bridge piece F,as shown in Figure 3. and is attached tosaid bridge piece preferably by stitches 7 that pass through the bridgepiece and through the three members 4, 5 and 6 that constitute thepocket for the valve stem nut. If desired, a pad 8 of felt or othersuitable material can be interposed between the valve stem nut pocketand the bridge piece, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Usually, thebridge piece F will be cemented to the inner side of the casing orto thelining of the casing in the event it is provided with an inner lining,and if desired, an additional row or rows of stitches '7 can be insertedthrough the casing, through the bridge piece F and through the valvestem nut pocket so as to secure said pocket directly to the casing at apoint in close proximity to the hole 1 in the casing that providesaccess to the valve stem. In such a structure the stitches 7 a aresubjected to abrasion when the ball is in use and are liable to wear outor break, but even if this should occur, the valve stem cannot dropdownwardly into the casing when the bladder becomes deflated, due, ofcourse, to the fact that the nut D into which the valve stem is screwedis sustained by the bridge piece F which is secured to the casing byconcealed stitches 8 that are not subjected to abrasion. Accordingly, ina ball of the construction above described there is no liability of thevalve stem shifting relatively to the casing and assuming a positionthat will necessitate loosening or removing the lacing of the easing, asso often occurs with basket balls, footballs or the like of the type nowin general use in which thepocket or other member on the inside of thecasing that receives and holds the valve stem nut is secured or attachedto the casing by exposed stitches that are liable to wear out or break,due to the abrasion to which the casing is subjected when the ball is inuse.

The valve stem nut D may consist of a conventional fiat nut providedwith internal screw threads into which thevalve stem is screwed, but Iprefer to equip the ball with a valve stem nut that is provided with arelatively long internally screw-threaded collar 9 that projectsinwardly through the bottom member 6 of the valve stem nut pocket, so asto provide a relatively long bearing on the nut D for the valve stem. Byconstructing the valve stem nut in this manner I am able to form arecess 10 on the top side of said nut for receiving the cap piece or topportion of the valve stem closure E, thereby causing said closure to bepractically housed in the nut D and to occupy a position considerablybelow the outer surface of the casing A of the ball.

In order to prevent relative rotary movement between the valve stem Cand the nut D in a direction to cause said valve stem to screw out ofsaid nut, I provide the valve stem closure E with an enlarged cap pieceor top portion that projects laterally over the nut D and bears tightlyagainst the. bottom of the recess 10 in said nut when said closure E isscrewed tightly into the valve stem, the frictional pressure which thecap piece or enlarged top portion of the closure E exerts on the valvestem nut causing the closure E. nut D and valve stem C to be boundtightly together, and thus eifectively eliminating the possibility ofthe nut turning or the valve stem turning in the nut. In prior balls ofthis general type the closure of the valve stem consists simply of anexternally screwthreaded plug screwed into the internal screw threads ofthe valve stem and having no portion that co-acts with the valve stemnut in such a way as to prevent relative rotary movement between thevalve stem and valve stem nut. In my improved ball, however, the closure'E for the valve stem is of such design that when said closure isarranged in its operative position, a portion of same laps over thevalve stem nut and thus checks any tendency of the valve stem or the nutto turn in a direction to result in accidental disengagement of thevalve stem from the nut D which retains said valve stem in operativeposition.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, aninflatable member inside of said casing provided with a valve stem, amember arranged on the inside of the casing with which said valve stemis detachably connected, and a supporting device for said last mentionedmember arranged on the inside of the casing and secured to the casing byconceal d stitches.

2. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, aninflatable member inside of said casing provided with a valve stem, amember arranged on the inside of the casing with which said valve stemis detachably con nected, and a supporting device for said lastmentioned member arranged inside of the casing and secured to the casingby stitches that are not subjected to abrasion when the ball is in use.

3. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, aninflatable member inside of said casing provided with a valve stem, amember arranged on the inside of the casing with which said valve stemis detachably connected, exposed stitches for securing said lastmentioned member to the casing, and an independent means, conslsting ofconcealed stitches, for holding said member in operative position in theevent said exposed stitches break.

4:. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, aninflatable member inside of said casing provided with a valve stem thatis accessible through a hole in the casing, a part arranged on theinside of the casing and secured to same by concealed stitches, and ascrew-threaded member carried by said part and adapted to have saidvalve stem screwed into same.

5. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, aninflatable member in side of said casing provided with a valve stem, anut into which said. valve stem is screwed, a pocket for said nut, and abridge piece that carries said pocket arranged on the inside of thecasing and secured to the same by stitches that pass throughinwardlyturned edge portions of the sections of the casing.

6. A basket ball, football or the like provided with a casing composedof sections whose edge portions are turned inwardly and secured togetherby stitches, a bladder provided with an externally screw-threaded valvestem which is accessible through a hole in said casing, a bridge piecearranged transversely of the section of the casing in which said hole isformed and having its ends secured to the casing by the stitches whichpass through the inwardly-turned portions of said section, and a nutcarried by said bridge piece and adapted to have said valve stem screwedinto same.

7. A basket ball, football or the like provided with a casing composedof sections whose edge portions are turned inwardly and secured togetherby stitches, a bladder provided with an externally screw-threaded valvestem which is accessible through a hole in said casing, a bridge piecearranged transversely of the section of the casing in which said hole isformed and having its ends secured to the casing by the stitches whichpass through the inwardly-turned portions of said section, a pocketcarried by said bridge piece, and a nut mounted in said pocket inalignment with the hole in the casing and adapted to receive said valvestem.

8. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, a bladderinside of said casing provided with a valve stem, a pocket arranged onthe inside of the casing adjacent a hole in the casing that providesaccess to the valve stem, a nut in said pocket, said nut having a recessin its top face, a relatively long, internally screw-threaded collar onsaid nut projecting inwardly through the bottom member of said pocketand adapted to receive said valve stem, and

a removable closure for said valve stem, positioned in the recess in thetop face of said nut.

9. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, a bladderin said casing provided with an internally-screw-threaded valve stem, anon-rotatable threaded mem ber supported inside of the casing andadapted to have said valve stem screwed into same, and a removableclosure for said valve stem provided with a part that co-acts with saidthreaded member to prevent relative rotary movement between said valvestem and threaded member.

10. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, a bladderin said casing provided with an externally screw-threaded valve stem, apocket arranged inside of said casing in proximity to a hole in saidcasing which provides access to said valve stem, a nut in said pocketheld against rotary movement and adapted to have the valve stem screwedinto same and a removable closure for said valve stem having a cap pieceor top portion that is adapted to bear tightly against said nut whensaid closure is in its operative position, so as to tend to prevent thestem from turning in the nut.

11. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing, a bladderin said casing provided with an externally screw-threaded Valve stem, anut arranged inside of said casing 1n allgnment with a holein saidcasing that provides access to said valve stem, said nut being heldagainst rotary movement loy co-acting surfaces on the nut and pocket,:an internally screw-threaded collar on said nut into which the valvestem is screwed, said nut having a recess in the top side of same, and aremovable closure for the valve stem screwed into an internally threadedportion of said stem and provided with a cap piece or portion that ispositioned in said recess and bears tightly against the bottom of therecess when said closureis in operative position, thereby tending toprevent the stem from screwing out of the collar on the nut.

12. A basket ball, football orthe like, comprising a casing composed ofsections whose edge portions are connected together by seams, a bladderin the casing provided with an externally screw-threaded valve stem thatis accessible through a hole in one section of the casing, a bridgepiece arranged transversely on the inside of the section of the casingin which said'hole is formed and secured at its ends to the seams ofsaid section, a nut carried by said bridge piece and provided 7 with aninternally screw-threaded collar into which the valve stem is screwed,and a removable closure for the valve stem having external threads thatco-act with internal threads on said stem and provided with an enlargedtop portion that laps over and bears tightly upon said nut.

13. A basket ball, football or the like, comprising a casing composed ofsections whose edge portions are connected together by seams, a bladderin the casing provided with an externally screw-threaded valve stem thatis accessible through a hole in one section of the casing, a bridgepiece arranged transversely on the inside of the section of the casingin which saidhole is formed and se cured at its ends to the seams ofsaid section,

a nut carriedby said bridge piece and provided with an internallyscrew-threaded collarinto which the valve stem is screwed, a removableclosure for the valve stemhaving external threads that co-act withinternal threads on said stem and provided with an cnlarged'top portionthat laps over and bears tightly upon saidnut, and exposed stitches thatpass through the casing and through said bridge piece at a pointadjacent the hole in the casing which provides access to the valve stem.

MASON SCUDDER.

